[jaylysf]

Whatsapp will be over taken by BBM and become the most used messaging platform IMHO.

When BBM has a desktop version, Skype will no longer be relevant, IMHO.

So hurry up and release the hounds already so I can bug all my friends to dl it!

Posted via CB10

[westex74]

you're on drugs.

why do you think that the general public will drop every app they are currently using to use BBM, when several apps already have duplicated the functionality and ease of use of BBM? BlackBerry was so absent for so long that they have been replaced. Whatsapp and kik, let alone iMessage are now firmly entrenched and provide an acceptable alternative.

[jaylysf]

BBM uses its own network so it's more reliable (when there's no outages that is)

BBM security is second to none (at least from what I read lol it's not like I'm an expert)

iMessages is only for iPhone. And I think this is why whatsapp became popular along with wechat and countless other apps as you mentioned.

What makes BBM stands out from all of these is that a lot of people have used BBM and they'll give it a try for old times sake while others will find its functionality such as screen sharing, file sharing, BBM Channels, BBM Money (how cool is that?), very useful.



Posted via CB10

[kolowosh]

As I wrote in a previous thread, it's almost too late for BlackBerry to overcome Whatsapp. BlackBerry should go cross platform long time ago and cash in.

They have to come with a better message app. I don't think it'll be easy for them to make money from it.

Posted via CB10

[hoopitz]

I agree (somewhat) with the OP.

I don't think it will be long at all before Whatsapp is dethroned. I think most people would agree that BBM functions much better as a messaging client, and then when you add on the fact that it will be free... There's no questions in my mind. If you also take into account the infrastructure that Blackberry has, to support BBM, it's an open and shut case. I'm not saying Whatsapp isn't well built, but you can't compare it to the quality and backing of Blackberry. Other companies might be doing other things better, but nobody can compete with BBM.

I'm not so sure it will overtake Skype, however.

[RubberChicken76]

I don't think it will be dethroned easily as it's "good enough" for many people. But I bet the folks at WhatsApp are watching it very, very closely.

when several apps already have duplicated the functionality and ease of use of BBM

WhatsApp and iMessage are *NOT* feature parity with BBM yet, IMO. More than capable in certain respects but they haven't gotten to the duplicate level.

[Morten]

When BBM has a desktop version, Skype will no longer be relevant, IMHO.

You are comparing a truck with a racing car here... two completely different needs covered by those apps....

Sigh

[dtango]

If no one uses BBM it going to be quite embarrassing for Blackberry.

[Gnomesane]

If no one uses BBM it going to be quite embarrassing for Blackberry.

It'll be popular no doubt, but who knows if it will seriously challenge WhatsApp for the throne.

What BBM has working in its favour is added functionality (if added to iOS/Android) and will be free. 99 cents is not a lot to pay for a year, but don't underestimate free.

I think it'll get a lot of downloads when it's released. Whether or not people stick with BBM will depend on how well it's implemented cross platform by BlackBerry. IF they make excellent apps, it could be a serious contender.

It'll have the benefit of being something *new* to try for free, so no loss to Android / Apple users to try it out.

[jaylysf]

Well the fake BBM got over 100k dl in one day before it was pulled. And most people didn't even know about it. Once announced how many downloads in a week? Mark my words at least a million. I'm going to pull a number of 10 million in one month out of my ***. Might as well, seems like all the analysts are doing it

Posted via CB10

[anon5771888]

First it has to be RELEASED before you can make any predications and so far based on how long it took them to get 10.1 released, it might be to late. What kind of response is "Before the End of Summer?" It's already the middle of July and still no BBM for IOS and/or Android????

[Gnomesane]

Well the fake BBM got over 100k dl in one day before it was pulled. And most people didn't even know about it. Once announced how many downloads in a week? Mark my words at least a million. I'm going to pull a number of 10 million in one month out of my ***. Might as well, seems like all the analysts are doing it

Posted via CB10

I think you're right, based on the popularity of the fake BBM on Google Play, as you say. Dunno about 10M, but perhaps you have a psychic ***.

I really, really hope BlackBerry gets this right from the get go. If executed properly it's a potential future revenue stream, and really good marketing for the company. It's one of those things that could help turn around people's negative perception of them.

[Gnomesane]

First it has to be RELEASED before you can make any predications and so far based on how long it took them to get 10.1 released, it might be to late. What kind of response is "Before the End of Summer?" It's already the middle of July and still no BBM for IOS and/or Android????

Right now more attention is focused on the last quarterly report and not BBM. So it's better if they take the time to make it work well right out of the gate, imo. Can't speak to why they announce things so far in advance, I agree that it doesn't work in their favour. To be fair, other companies play the same game - eg. WHEN is Key Lime Pie arriving again? - but BlackBerry doesn't have the luxury to be coy at this time.

[Frosty_Power]

Big issue for me is that going cross platform means you have to go across all platforms for it to be successful. I'm not sure if it has been confirmed that WP8 is getting it, but last I checked it wasn't on the list(please correct me if I'm wrong), where as Whatsapp(and others) are truly cross platform. I have a few groups on Whatsapp that have WP8 users and I know they are not changing devices anytime soon. That is my only worry for BBM is that it's not being release for WP's(again, please correct me if I'm wrong).

[Gnomesane]

Big issue for me is that going cross platform means you have to go across all platforms for it to be successful. I'm not sure if it has been confirmed that WP8 is getting it, but last I checked it wasn't on the list(please correct me if I'm wrong), where as Whatsapp(and others) are truly cross platform. I have a few groups on Whatsapp that have WP8 users and I know they are not changing devices anytime soon. That is my only worry for BBM is that it's not being release for WP's(again, please correct me if I'm wrong).

I think they're starting with Android and iOS for obvious reasons, but undoubtedly they'll add WP8 down the line. They're looking at BBM as a future revenue source and given that WP8 is getting some traction it'll be added.

[Flexin]

I think it will do very well. You will have a lot of former BlackBerry users that will go back to it. And Whatsapp doesn't have the cross platform market with my friends. A couple on Whatsapp and some on Live profile. Then a couple that just use text now. I feel they will go back because that is one thing that most miss about BlackBerry.

And the one complaint about BBM is that their friend list dropped off to next to nothing. If that list grows again then most will use it again.

The biggest issue will be getting the diehard ios and android users to use it and admit that BlackBerry has something good. If they pick it up then it will be a huge success.

James

Posted via CB10

[KillerBx]

Whatsapp definitely has its strength and popularity, but I got rid of it because it needed to be updated at least every week (very annoying), it uses your cell phone number to identify you (that's a little too personal for my liking) and it charges 99 cents every year after the first free year. 99 cents isn't much, but any cost will discourage people. Skype is great for video calls, but it's not popular for messaging and charges for phone calls. BBM is completely free with the revenue coming from BBM Channels. BBM already has 60 million heavy users and when it goes cross platform, that will greatly increase. I'm down with the OP.

[lnichols]

Will the same people that steer clear of all things BlackBerry because they hear on a daily basis that BlackBerry is dead or dying try an app that has that name on it? Especially when they have already moved over to a WhatsApp and invested time building up that contact list? I don't know the answer but the cynic in me thinks they will launch/botch cross platform BBM just as poorly as they launched/botched the BB10 rollout. I don't think the people at BlackBerry could market water in the desert!

[Gnomesane]

Will the same people that steer clear of all things BlackBerry because they hear on a daily basis that BlackBerry is dead or dying try an app that has that name on it? Especially when they have already moved over to a WhatsApp and invested time building up that contact list? I don't know the answer but the cynic in me thinks they will launch/botch cross platform BBM just as poorly as they launched/botched the BB10 rollout. I don't think the people at BlackBerry could market water in the desert!

Oh sure they will, it's human nature. IF BlackBerry screws it up, they'll feel satisfied in their original opinion that BlackBerry is finished.

There will be a big curiousity factor surrounding BBM on other platforms, they are a recognizable name after all. So it's pretty important that BlackBerry gets it right from the beginning.

[fearmantis]

BB rocks! Long live BB!

[DenverRalphy]

Did I miss something? I haven't heard of plans for a PC/Desktop version of BBM in the works. I'd love it if there was, as I try to stick to messengers with PC/*nix compatibility, since IMHO nothing is truly cross platform without it.

[Gnomesane]

Did I miss something? I haven't heard of plans for a PC/Desktop version of BBM in the works. I'd love it if there was, as I try to stick to messengers with PC/*nix compatibility, since IMHO nothing is truly cross platform without it.

I haven't heard about a BBM desktop client either. But if they released one, it would be a game changer, imo.

[PFman]

This is a personal take on BBM.

5 years of blackberry use and I've never used BBM..... I have 450 contacts and no one has ever given me a pin, and I tried a mail drop to 250 clients with my BBM pin without a single hit.

I use viber and whatsapp all the time and my son uses Skype all the time on his iPhone and laptop.

I mentioned to him he could soon use BBM (lots of his mates at school have BB for BBM) and he's not bothered or interested.

Not sure how they will make money in this market but I don't think, for most people, BBM will make any impression.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[paper_monkey]

Whatsapp definitely has its strength and popularity, but I got rid of it because it needed to be updated at least every week (very annoying), it uses your cell phone number to identify you (that's a little too personal for my liking) and it charges 99 cents every year after the first free year. 99 cents isn't much, but any cost will discourage people. Skype is great for video calls, but it's not popular for messaging and charges for phone calls. BBM is completely free with the revenue coming from BBM Channels. BBM already has 60 million heavy users and when it goes cross platform, that will greatly increase. I'm down with the OP.

I wonder how they will get around the PIN issue.. will they generate a PIN based on an e-mail address or some sort of registration system or are people going to end up having to screw around with their IMEI? I have an issue with BBM Channels too but I suspect that's because I'm closer to middle aged than not, I have no use nor time for facebook and don't think that the world needs yet another social network. I may be entirely out to lunch but I would suspect that trying to turn BBM into a social network is going to drive more people away than it will invite them in.

I want BBM to succeed and I want all my former contacts back on BBM but if I'm honest, there's not really a seriously compelling reason for someone to switch from whatever cross platform app (or just texting) they are already using to BBM.. It's a great app and a solid performer but at the end of the day, it's a platform specific messaging app just like AIM and MSN messenger were and there were more than enough people that disliked that when instant messaging was in its infancy that people came up with things like GAIM to be able to interact within the different messaging ecosystems without having to run several different programmes.

This almost feels like Yahoo Messanger... showed up just late enough to the party to look foolish..

[scorpiodsu]

I think the assumption is that BBM on those platforms offers some compelling feature to make users switch and have try to get everyone else on the app and exchange information. That's not easy. People would much rather stick to what's already work if all things are equal. For instance, a couple years ago, I told my wife she should download Kik and use it to talk to people. She say "what does it do different that gtalk, whatsapp, AIM and YIM that I already have a barely use". I said "ummmmm". Then she said "how do you talk to people, need to get their info and add and stuff?" I said "yeah" She was like "no thanks". Now I do think a lot of people will use it and mostly those who use to have BBM and they've switched but again getting all your buddies to get on something is very taxing because they have to get all their friends and so on. It's actually almost easier to use facebook because everyone's on that LOL.

The thing about iMessage is that you don't have to add anyone or switch services and such. The system recognizes if the individuals both have iMessage and that's it. I used to have a bunch of 3rd party messaging apps. I have 0 right now. I don't count facebook because messaging is a feature built into to the app as I don't use the standalone app. Getting people to switch where they will also have to compel people to switch will be a very difficult thing to do. Again, this assume BBM for Android and iOS will be that much better than the alternative that are already out there.